North Dakota Department of Public Instruction 
Title 
I 
First Grade Reading Standards 


Student: ___________________________________ 
School Year: __________________ Grade: _______ 
Teacher: ___________________________________ 

__
_ 
Read a variety of genres. 
Observe in an instructional setting. 

__
_ 
Explain the elements of a story. 
Observe in an instructional setting. 

__
_ 
Manipulate individual sounds in words. 
Use sentence dictation task. (Enclosed) 

__
_ 
Isolate and say the first, medial, or last sound in a word. 
Use sentence dictation task. (Enclosed) 

__
_ 
Break or separate a word into parts-onset and rime. 
Observe in an instructional setting. 

__
_ 
Identify and create rhymes. 
Observe in an instructional setting. 

__
_ 
Apply knowledge of letter/sound relationships when reading. 
Use concepts about print. (Enclosed) 

__
_ 
Use knowledge of phonics to decode words. 
Use word recognition task. (Enclosed) 

__
_ 
Make and confirm/disconfirm predictions in a story. 
Select appropriate texts for this benchmark expectation. 

__
_ 
Recall/retell details/events in sequence. 
Select appropriate texts for this benchmark expectation. 

__
_ 
Make text-to-self and text-to-text connections. 
Select appropriate texts for this benchmark expectation. 

__
_ 
Use strategies to monitor comprehension. 
Select appropriate texts for this benchmark expectation. 

___ 
Locate the main idea and supporting details of a text. 
Select appropriate texts for this benchmark expectation. 

__
_ 
Read a variety of vocabulary embedded in authentic text. 
Select appropriate texts for this benchmark expectation. 

__
_ 
Demonstrate fluency, reading in meaningful phrases. 
Select appropriate texts for this benchmark expectation. 

__
_ 
Use reading to learn how to process increasingly difficult text. 
Select appropriate texts for this benchmark expectation. 

__
_ 
Use reading to be informed and/or entertained. 
Select appropriate texts for this benchmark expectation. 

. 


Word Recognition 


Purpose:

The purpose of this assessment is to determine the number of high frequency words 
that students know. These words are given in isolation because they should be instantly 
recognizable by students. Teaching these words, however, should be done within the context 
of a story or other meaningful text (not decodable texts). 

Directions for Use: 

Provide the student with a word list for his or her grade level. Reveal one column at a 
time. Ask the child to read the words on the list. Do not help with any words and do not use 
the list for teaching. This assessment can be used as an ongoing observational tool two to 
three times a year to record growth in word recognition over time. 

Scoring:

Score one point for each correctly read word. Note any attempts, errors, or reading 
behaviors the child makes while reading. 

. 


First Grade Word Recognition Assessment 


Name:______________________________________ 

Word Date: Date: Date: Date: 
they 
have 
him 
went 
his 
was 
when 
from 
them 
out 
said 
with 
an 
of 
that 
but 
about 
then 
their 
all 
your 
or 
saw 
came 
this 

Score: _____/25 _____/25 _____/25 _____/25 

. 


First Grade High-Frequency Word List 


they from of all 
have them that your 
him out but or 
went said about saw 
his with then came 
was an their this 
when 

. 


Concepts About Print

Adapted for First Grade Title I Assessment 

*An appropriate book that contains the following structures  question mark, period, comma, 
quotation marks, 2-3 lines of text on both open pages, and a return sweep  can be used to 
observe childrens reading behavior in the following areas. The teacher will read the book to the 
child so the book does not need to be an independent level. 

1. Front of the Book 
Hand the book to the child with the spine toward the child. 
Say: Show me the front of the book. 

2. Print contains the message 
Say: Im going to read you a story. Show me where to start reading. 
Where do I begin to read? 


3. Which way do I go? (Directionality) 
Say: Which way do I go? 

4. Return Sweep 
On a page with at least two lines of text, point to the end of the first line and say: 
Where do I go next? 

5. Word by word matching 
Say: Point to each word as I read. (Read slowly but fluently) 

(Exact word by word matching) 

6. First and last 
Say: Show me the first part and the last part. 

(Both concepts may be demonstrated on the whole text, or on a line, word or letter) 

7. Left page before right 
(Need print on both open pages) 
Say: Where do I start reading? 

8. Period 
Say: What is this for? (Accept: period, stop, the end) 

9. Comma 
Say: What is this for? (Accept: comma, pause, little stop) 

10. Question Mark 
Say: What is this for? (Accept: question mark, asking) 

11. Quotation Marks 
Say: What is this for? (Accept: quotation marks, talking marks) 

12.Show me one word. Say: Show me one word. 
13.Show me one letter. Say: Show me one letter. 
14.Show me the first and last letter of a word. Say: Show me the first and last letter of a word. 
15.Show me a capital letter. Say: Show me a capital letter. 
. 


Name:_________________________________ 
Dates:_________________________________ 
Score: _____/15 _____/15 _____/15 
Score Sheet for 
Concepts About Print 
*Use a different book for each assessment. 
Fall Winter Spring 
1. Front of the book 
2. Print contains the message 
3. Which way do I go? 
4. Return Sweep 
5. Word by word matching 
6. Show me the first part and the last part 
7. Left page before right 
8. Period 
9. Comma 
10. Question Mark 
11. Quotation Marks 
12. Show me one word 
13. Show me one letter 
14. Show me the first and last letter of a word 
15. Show me a capital letter 

. 


Sentence Dictation 
(Dictation Task) 


Purpose:

The purpose of this assessment is to determine how well children are able to hear and write 
the sounds they hear in our language (any sentences that have the variety of phonemes you wish 
to assess may be used). 

Directions for Use: 

Tell the child that you are going to read him a story and that after reading it through once, 
you will read it again slowly so that he can write down the words. During the second reading, 
dictate slowly, word by word. When the child comes to a problem say: You say it slowly. How 
would you start to write it? What can you hear? What else can you hear? If the child cannot 
complete the word, say: Well leave that word. The next one is Make note of the following: 
omissions of sounds, unusual placement of letters within words, and unusual formations of letters. 

Scoring:

Score one point for each correct phoneme. Complete the checklist, using the key at the 
bottom of the page to indicate the childs behaviors in each category. Use this information to guide 
your instruction. 

. 


First Grade Hearing & Recording Sounds 
in Words 
(Dictation Task) 

I am going to read you a story. 
When I have read it through once, I will read it again very slowly so that you can write down 
the words in the story 

 
Read the test sentence at the top of the score sheet to the child at normal speed. 
Then say: 
Some of the words are hard. 
Say them slowly and think how you can write them. 
Start writing the words now. 


 
Now read the entire story. Dictate slowly, word by word. When the child comes to a 
problem say: 
You say it slowly. 
How would you start to write it? 
What can you hear? 
What else can you hear? 


 
If the child cannot complete the word say: 
Well leave that word. 
The next one is. 


 
Show the student where to write the next word if this helps the child. 
(Support the child with positive comments to keep the child working at the task.) 

Note: Sequence errors 
Omissions of sounds 
Partially correct attempt 
Unusual placement of letters within words 

. 


First Grade Dictation Assessment 
Sentences and Score Sheet 

Name:_______________________________ 

Upper Emergent Dictation Sentences: 

I can see a red dog up on the hill. 
He is going to get the bone. 

Date 
Wrote a letter for each sound in the word 
Spelled words correctly 
Wrote initial consonant sounds 
Wrote final consonant sounds 
Wrote medial consonant sounds 
Wrote short vowel sounds 
Wrote long vowel sounds 
Wrote word endings 
Used capital letters at the beginning of sentences 
Used correct punctuation at the end of the sentences 
Other: 

Key: 

+ = Good 
= Adequate 
--- = No evidence 
. 


First Grade Dictation Assessment 
Student Worksheet 

Name:_________________________ Date:____________________ 
Total Words:____________________ Phoneme Analysis: ______/39 
Comments: 

Start: 

. 


Bibliography 

Wright Group Publishing, Inc. (1996). Assessment Guide Grades K-1. Bothell, WA. 

Adaptations were made from the following references: 
Rapid City, South Dakota Public Schools Literacy Programming. 


Clay, Marie (2002). An Observation Survey of Early Literacy Achievement. Hong Kong: 
Heinemann. 

Book choices for the Concepts About Print task at the beginning of first grade - *The following 
books would be best: 
Sand, by Marie Clay 
Stones, by Marie Clay 
Follow Me Moon, by Marie Clay 
No Shoes, by Marie Clay 

The following Books may also be used: 
Whats for Dinner? Seedling Publications, Inc. 
The Hungry Kitten Rigby-PM Collection  1-800-822-8661 
Cooling Off Dominie Press  1-800-232-4570 
What Would you Like? Wright Group  1-800-648-2970 
Lets Play Ball Steck-Vaughn  1-800-531-5015 

. 


